Southwark

Southwark's population increased by about 43,400 between the last two censuses. This semi-automated article highlights some of the key changes among the local population.

The population passed quarter of a million

In the decade to 2011, the population of Southwark increased by 17.7%, from just under 245,000 to 288,000.

The addition of about 43,000 people means this area's population increased faster than the rate of growth across England (up 7.9% since the 2001 census).

In 2011, Southwark was home to, on average, 71 people per football pitch-sized piece of land.

Population density was higher than the average across London

Population density (usual residents per football pitch-sized piece of land) across London, March 2011 (larger dots represent greater increase since 2001)

Average age stable in Southwark

Latest census data also show that the median age of Southwark remained 32 years in the decade to 2011.

This area had a lower average age than London and remained younger than the average local authority area across England (39 years of age).

The fall in age was because of an increase of just under 15,000 people between the ages of 20 and 29 years, while the population over the age of 80 years decreased by just over 1,000.

About 22.0% of people in Southwark are aged between 20 and 29 years

Percentage of usual residents in England, London and Southwark by 10 year age band, March 2001 and March 2011

Fall in social renting

Southwark saw England's second-largest fall in the proportion of socially rented homes.

In 2011, just over 4 in 10 (43.7%) households in Southwark lived in social housing, compared with 52.8% in 2001. The percentage of privately rented homes increased from 13.4% to 23.7%.

England's largest decrease in the proportion of socially rented homes occurred in Tower Hamlets (from 51.7% to 39.6%).

The rate of social housing in Southwark decreased by 9.1 percentage points

Percentage of households in Southwark, London and England that rented socially, March 2001 and March 2011

Changes in family structure

The percentage of households in Southwark with only adult children living with their parents decreased from 7.6% to 7.2% in the 10 years leading up to 2011.

The percentage that had at least one dependent child remained close to 28.1%, while the percentage of households in Southwark without children increased from 64.2% to 64.6%.

The proportion of households with adult children living with their parents fell at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of London (from 8.7% in 2001 to 9.3% in 2011). Across England, the percentage increased from 9.4% to 9.6%.

The proportion of households with only adult children living with their parents was lower than across London

Percentage of households where a parent lived with their adult children across local authority areas in London and the average across England, March 2011

Religion in Southwark

The 2011 Census asked a voluntary question about religion. Of those who chose to disclose their religious affiliation, the largest percentage point increase in Southwark was among those who said they had no religion, rising 8.7 points.

In 2011, 29.2% of respondents in Southwark gave this religion on the census compared with 20.5% of those who answered in 2001.

Across London, the percentage of people who answered the question on religion that described themselves as having no religion increased from 17.3% to 22.6%, while across England the percentage went from 15.7% to 26.5%.

Of those who disclosed their religion in Newham, 57.4% said they were Christian, compared with 68.3% in 2001. About 0.3% said they were Sikh, compared with 0.3% 10 years prior.

The percentage of people who disclosed a religious affiliation and did not state their religion decreased from 11.0% to 9.3%.

In Southwark, 8.5% chose not to answer the question on religious affiliation, compared with 9.9% in 2001. In London, 8.5% did not answer the voluntary question, compared with 7.7% in 2001. Across England, 7.2% of people did not answer, compared with 7.7% in 2001.

The population without a religion in Southwark increased by 8.2 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents who answered the voluntary question on religion in England, London and Southwark by religion, March 2001 and March 2011

Disability in Southwark

The percentage of Southwark residents whose day-to-day activities are limited a lot by a long-term health problem or disability remained close to 2.8% in the decade leading up to the most recent census.

In 2011, just over 1 in 25 (4.4%) reported being limited a little in their day-to-day activities, compared with 4.8% in 2001. The percentage of Southwark residents whose day-to-day activities are not limited by a long-term health problem or disability increased from 92.4% to 92.8%.

The proportion of people who are considerably limited by a long-term health problem or disability increased at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of London (from 2.7% in 2001 to 3.1% in 2011). Across England, the percentage increased from 3.1% to 3.8%.

The proportion of people who are limited a lot by a long-term health problem or disability was lower than across London

Percentage of usual residents that reported being considerably limited in their day-to-day activities across local authority areas in London and the average across England, March 2011

More single people in Southwark

The percentage of people who had never been married or in a civil partnership increased in Southwark at a faster rate than in Lambeth (the local authority area that shares the largest boundary with Southwark).

In Southwark, the proportion of single people increased from 49.8% in 2001 to 54.7% in 2011. During the same period, the proportion in nearby Lambeth increased from 55.8% to 58.4%.

Across London, the share of people who had never been married or in a civil partnership increased from 41.2% to 44.1%.

The proportion of married people in Southwark fell from 31.7% to 29.4%, while the proportion of people who had divorced or separated from a marriage or civil partner decreased from 12.6% to 12.1%.

The proportion of people who had never married or entered a civil partnership was higher than across London

Percentage of usual residents aged 16 and over that said they were single across local authority areas in London and the average across England, March 2011

Health improved

The percentage of Southwark residents that described their health as bad or very bad decreased from 8.7% to 4.9% in the 10 years leading up to the latest census.

Rates are standardised to account for variation in age, which can impact the local population's health.

In 2011, just over 8 in 10 (84.7%) said their health was good or very good, compared with 70.3% in 2001. The percentage of Southwark residents that described their health as fair decreased from 21.1% to 10.4%.

The proportion of residents that perceived their health as bad or very bad fell at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of London (from 8.3% in 2001 to 5.0% in 2011). Across England, the percentage fell from 9.1% to 5.5%.

These data are people’s own opinions in describing their overall health. They may be inconsistent with other measures of health, such as NHS records.

The percentage of people in ’bad’ or ’very bad’ health in Southwark decreased by 3.7 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents in Southwark, London and England said their health was bad or very bad, March 2001 and March 2011

Ethnicity in Southwark

In 2011, 9.4% of Southwark residents said they were from the Asian or Asian British ethnic groups, making it the most common ethnicity in this local authority area. The population from these groups has increased from 5.9% in 2001.

Across London, the percentage of people from the Asian or Asian British ethnic groups increased from 13.2% to 18.5%, while across England the percentage went from 5.2% to 8.0%.

Around 54.2% of people in Southwark said they were from one of the White ethnic groups, compared with 63.0% in 2001. About 26.9% said they were from the Black, Black British, Caribbean or African ethnic groups, compared with 25.9% 10 years prior.

The percentage of people who said they were from Mixed/multiple ethnic groups (White and Asian, White and Black African, White and Black Caribbean or Other Mixed) increased from 3.7% to 6.2%.

The population from the Asian or Asian British ethnic groups in Southwark increased by 3.5 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents in England, London and Southwark by ethnicity, March 2001 and March 2011

More people cohabiting

The percentage of households in Southwark, which comprised a cohabiting couple, increased from 9.6% to 11.1% between the last two censuses.

In 2011, just over one in three (33.5%) households had only one person, compared with 37.3% in 2001. The percentage of households in Southwark which comprised a married couple (with or without children) remained close to 19.7%.

The proportion of households with an unmarried couple increased at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of London (from 8.1% in 2001 to 8.7% in 2011). Across England, the percentage increased from 8.3% to 9.9%.

The percentage of households with a cohabiting couple was higher than across London

Percentage of households that had an unmarried couple across local authority areas in London and the average across England, March 2011

More students

The percentage of Southwark residents that were studying increased from 3.6% to 4.9% in the decade to 2011.

In 2011, just over one in two (52.1%) people aged 16 to 74 said they were employed, compared with 48.6% in 2001. The percentage of Southwark residents that were unemployed decreased from 6.2% to 6.0%.

The proportion of students increased at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of London (from 3.0% in 2001 to 4.1% in 2011). Across England, the percentage increased from 2.6% to 3.5%.

The percentage of students in Southwark increased by 1.3 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents aged 16 to 74 in Southwark, London and England that said they were in education, March 2001 and March 2011

Change in work hours

The percentage of employed people in Southwark working less than 16 hours increased from 2.0% to 3.0% in the 10 years leading up to 2011.

The percentage who said they had worked over 49 hours the week before completing the census remained close to 12.4%.

The proportion of people working less than 16 hours in a week increased at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of London (from 2.0% in 2001 to 3.3% in 2011). Across England, the percentage increased from 1.9% to 3.1%.

The proportion of people working less than 16 hours in a week in Southwark increased by 1 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents aged 16 to 74 (in employment the week before the Census 2011) in Southwark, London and England that said they had worked less than 16 hours the week before completing the census, March 2001 and March 2011

Change in unpaid care

The percentage of Southwark residents that provided between 20 and 49 hours of weekly unpaid care increased from 1.1% to 1.2% in the decade leading up to the most recent census.

The percentage who reported providing at least 50 hours of unpaid care each week remained close to 1.7%.

The proportion of people providing between 20 and 49 hours of weekly unpaid care increased at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of London (from 1.0% in 2001 to 1.3% in 2011). Across England, the percentage increased from 1.1% to 1.4%.

The proportion of people providing between 20 and 49 hours of weekly unpaid care in Southwark remained close to 1.2%

Percentage of usual residents in England, London and Southwark by care, March 2001 and March 2011

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